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The water pump’s job is solely to keep the engine cool. Without a functioning water pump, an engine will overheat. Caught in time, overheating an engine won’t do any damage, but left too hot for too long will eventually kill the engine. Engines with timing belts use the timing belt to drive the water pump. Transversely mounted engines like those found in the Volvo C30 have the timing belt and water pump tucked against the frame rail in the engine bay. The positioning of the engine significantly shrinks the amount of space to service the engine.

A water pump change on these Volvo engines is not a job for beginners. Along with the job’s moderately stressful nature, you need a few specialty tools to complete it. Accuracy is key, and one misstep could mean a broken engine. Follow along with this DIY to ensure that the job gets completed correctly the first time around. 

 

Volvo models and years applicable:

  • 2005-2011 Volvo S40
  • 2005-2011 Volvo V50
  • 2006-2013 Volvo C70
  • 2008-2013 Volvo C30

 

What are the symptoms of a bad Volvo water pump?

  • Engine overheating
  • Coolant leaks
  • Air in the cooling system

Ignoring the signs of a failing water pump can cause costly engine issues. Repeated overheating can cause head gasket failure and the warping of the cylinder heads, leading to costly repairs. If your vehicle is regularly overheating, don’t drive it until the issue is fixed.

 

What will it cost to replace the water pump on a Volvo P1?

The cost of the comprehensive water pump kit we offer is $235. The kit includes all of the necessary seals, gaskets, and belts required for the job. Also included in the kit is a new water pump. Changing the timing belt is a great “While you’re in there” job that doesn’t take very long to change with everything out of the way. 

Having a dealership or independent shop do the job for you will be costly. Their parts will cost more, and the labor will be several hours long. Expect to pay upwards of $1200 for the job in total. 

Additionally, we suggest resealing the oil pump. Like the water pump, everything that needs to be removed to access the oil pump will be out of the way. Four bolts hold the oil pump onto the engine, and the reseal kit costs $30. The oil pumps are common leak points that can be taken care of easily.

 

How long will it take to replace the water pump on  Volvo P1?

Changing the water pump is not an easy job, nor is it a short job. You can cause significant damage to your engine at several points in this DIY. Apply the utmost care during the job, and you should triple check your timing after reassembling everything. Put aside at least a full day afternoon to ensure there are no leaks, and it all goes back together as it should. 

 

Parts required to replace the water pump on a Volvo P1:

 

Tools required to replace the water pump on a Volvo P1:

 

Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement Torque Specs:

  • Volvo Oil Pump Bolts = 10Nm or 7.4 ft-lbs of torque
  • Volvo Camshaft Sprocket Bolts = 120Nm or 88.5 ft-lbs of torque
  • Volvo Camshaft Sprocket Plugs = 35Nm 26 ft-lbs of torque
  • Volvo Camshaft Position Sensor Wheel = 20Nm or 14.8 ft-lbs of torque

 

Steps required to replace the water pump on a Volvo P1:

Step 1: Uncover the top of the engine

First up, you need to remove the intake tube. Start by using a 7mm socket or flathead screwdriver to loosen the hose clamps on the intake tube. Then use a 10mm socket to remove the two intake tube mounting bolts tucked behind the tube. Finally, disconnect the vacuum line that sits in the bend of the tube. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement loosening the intake tube hose clamps

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the intake tube mounting bolts

Pull the tube out of the engine bay and set it aside. There is a small section of vacuum lines that route to the right side of the engine. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the vacuum hoses

Squeeze the sides of the connections on the vacuum pump and the firewall before pulling them off to remove them. Push in on the red part of the last connection and then pull the hose out of it. 

Next, use a T25 socket to remove the mass airflow sensor housing from the air filter housing. Unplug the wiring harness from the sensor before removing it from the car.

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the mass airflow sensor housing

After that, remove the ignition coil cover from the cylinder head. Use a T30 socket or wrench to remove the six bolts for the cover. Then pull the cover off. Use the same T30 for the two bolts that secure the plastic cover that sits around the oil filler cap. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the ignition coil cover

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the timing belt cover

Slide the cover forward slightly and then pull it off of the engine. The camshaft sprockets are now exposed and can be checked for oil. Examine the back of the sprockets and the metal surfaces around them for any oil residue. Any present residue has likely come from the camshaft seals and will require replacement. The timing belt kit used in this DIY includes the proper camshaft seals. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement examining the oil residue on the camshaft sprockets

Next, remove the plastic camshaft sprocket guard from the engine. The shield is clipped to the engine on either side. Undo the clips and then sneak the shield past the sprockets. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the camshaft sprocket shield

Lastly, pull the coolant expansion tank out of its mounting grommets and lay it across the top of the engine. Pop the lines out of their clips for more room to move it.

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement moving the coolant expansion tank

 

Step 2: Gain access to the front of the engine

In vehicles with transversely mounted engines like Volvos, the front of the engine faces the passenger’s side of the engine bay. To get to the front of the engine, you’ll need to remove the wheel and fender liner. 

Jack up the car and place it onto jack stands. Then, use a 19mm socket to remove the lug nuts and the wheel. Next, use a T25 socket or wrench to remove the eight fasteners of the fender liner’s outer edge. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the T25 fender liner fasteners

Then, use a 10mm socket to remove the to nuts on the back of the fender liner on either side of the strut.

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement locations of the two 10mm fender liner nuts

Gently pull the fender liner out of the fender and away from the chassis. With the engine now exposed, use a 30mm socket on an impact wrench to check that the nut for the crankshaft pulley will come off. Spin it back on once it comes loose. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement showing the 30mm nut

 

Step 3: Further expose the engine

Use a T50 socket to remove the tension from the A/C belt tensioner so you can remove the belt. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the a/c belt

Now you can remove the crankshaft pulley nut for good and remove the crankshaft pulley itself. Use a 10mm socket to remove the four smaller bolts. Hit the pulley with a dead-blow mallet if it doesn’t want to come off easily. Wiggle the pulley back and forth while pulling on it to pull it off of the crankshaft snout. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement hitting the crank pulley with a mallet

Get under the car and remove the six fasteners for the plastic splash shield with a T25 socket or wrench. Then, remove the u-shaped plastic underbody panel that tucks into the bumper. Use a T25 socket or wrench to remove the two fasteners that secure it into the bottom of the bumper. Then, push it forward to pop it out of the tabs that secure it to the radiator support. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the splash shield

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the under-bumper panel

Now, use a set of channel locks to reach up to the bottom of the radiator and loosen its drain. Have a drain pan positioned below to catch all of the coolant. Loosen the cap on the expansion tank to allow the coolant to drain out as quickly as it can. 

Take the floor jack and place a block of wood onto it. Then, raise the jack to support the front/passenger’s side of the engine. Next, head into the engine bay and use a 15mm socket to remove the engine mount from the front of the engine. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the upper engine mount

The coolant expansion tank should be nearly empty at this point. Use pliers to remove the hose clamp on the large feed line, allowing you to separate the line from the tank. Lay the tank over the radiator to give yourself more space. 

Below the upper engine-mount is the front timing cover. Use a T30 socket or wrench to remove the bolt that secures the cover to the front of the engine. Pull the cover out of the way once you remove the bolt. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the front timing cover

 

Step 4: Lock the camshafts in place

Use an 8mm socket to remove the bolts that secure the ignition coil harness to the cylinder head. Then, follow the harness along the top of the cylinder head. Unplug the sensor on top of each camshaft and all five of the ignition coils. Remove the two ground wires with an 8mm socket. Push the harness as far out of the way as you can once everything has been disconnected.

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the ignition coil harness bolts

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement unplugging the ignition harness

To the right of the ignition coil harness is a bracket with an electrical connection on it. Lift the white lock on the connection to separate the plugs. Remove the bolt below the connection with a 13mm socket. Then, remove the line that mounts to the bottom of the bracket with an 8mm socket. Finally, remove the bracket’s last bolt with a 16mm socket. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the 13mm bolt

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the 16mm bolt

Remove the electrical connection from the bracket and move the bracket out of the way. 

 The back of each camshaft is covered with a thin steel plug. Use a punch or flathead screwdriver with a hammer to pierce through the covers and pry them off. Cover the area below the covers with rags as oil will come out. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement chiseling through the camshaft covers

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement camshaft covers removed

Mounted to the back of the camshafts are the sensor wheels for the camshaft position sensors. Use a T30 socket or wrench to remove them from the camshafts. Be gentle but firm when loosening the fasteners; they will strip fairly easily. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the cam position sensor wheel]

The sensor wheels are specific to their respective camshafts. Mark them accordingly, so you aren’t confused during reassembly. 

Now swing around to the front of the engine and put the 30mm nut back onto the crankshaft. Using a ratchet with the 30mm socket, rotate the engine to the right until the little bump on the timing sprocket lines up with the bump on the oil pump. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement aligning the timing marks

Now, take a sharpie and make some timing marks on the top of the engine. Mark the front of each cam sprocket and create a corresponding mark on the valve cover, just behind the cam sprocket. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement making the timing marks

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement making the timing marks

The back of each camshaft will have a line cut through it, and they should be relatively close to perfectly horizontal. Insert the CTA 2864 tool into the back of the camshaft and lock it in using the supplied hardware. Use a 12mm socket to tighten the two bolts that secure the CTA tool into the camshafts. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the cam locking tool

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the lock for the cam locks

The last piece of the camshaft locking tool sits over the valve cover to hold the two pieces in place. Use a 5mm Allen wrench or socket to tighten down the bolt. 

 

Step 5: Remove the timing components 

Using a 10mm wrench, reach down and loosen the bolt for the timing belt tensioner. Loosening the bolt will remove the tension from the tensioner, allowing you to pull the belt off. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement timing belt tensioner location

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the timing belt

Next, remove the camshaft sprockets. Use a T55 socket to remove the camshaft bolt plug from the center of the sprocket. Then, use the same socket to remove the camshaft bolt. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the camshaft sprocket plug

Wiggle the sprocket back and forth to remove it from the camshaft after removing the camshaft sprocket bolt.

 

Step 6: Replace the water pump

To access the water pump, you’ll need to be able to move the large plastic timing cover around. Use a 10mm socket to remove the two bolts above and on either side of the crankshaft timing sprocket. Then, remove the two upper bolts. They are located under the left-side camshaft and under the upper engine mount location.

Then, remove the main timing belt idler. Use a 10mm socket to remove the two bolts that secure it to the engine. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the main timing belt idler

Thread the idler bolts back into the engine, so you know where they are when it comes time for reassembly. 

Next, remove the engine mount bracket from the front of the engine:

  1. Use a 15mm socket to remove the bolts from the front of the mount.
  2. Use a 10mm wrench or socket to remove the black bracket that mounts to the engine mount bracket.
  3. Use a 10mm wrench for the top bolt on the side of the bracket and a 13mm socket to remove the lower bolt.

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the bolts from the front of the bracket

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the bolts from the side of the bracket

The water pump mounts to the front of the engine using seven bolts. Use a 10mm socket to remove the bolts. You’ll be working nearly blind here, so take your time.

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the water pump bolts

Then, position a drain pan under the water pump to catch the coolant that will come out upon the pump’s removal. Grab the pump by the sprocket and pull it off of the engine.

Two holes are smaller than all of the others on the water pump gasket. These holes are for the aligning pins that stick out of the engine block. Take a bit of sealant and apply it to the gasket around the smaller holes. Then fit the gasket to the front of the engine. The sealant will hold the gasket in place as you install the water pump. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement applying the sealant to the water pump gasket

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the water pump gasket

Install the water pump through the access in the wheel well. When the water pump is sitting on its alignment pins, thread in the seven bolts by hand. Use a 10mm socket to tighten down the new bolts. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the water pump

 

Step 7: Reinstall the timing components

First, reinstall the center timing cover. Use a 10mm socket to reinstall the four bolts that secure it to the engine.

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the lower timing cover bolts

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the upper timing cover bolts

 

Step 7: Reinstall the timing components

Take the new timing belt tensioner and install it onto the engine block through the wheel well. Thread in the bolt by hand and stop there. You’ll tighten it down after you install the new timing belt. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the new timing belt tensioner

Ensure that the tab on the back of the tensioner is locked into the tab on the engine block. 

Next, remove the bolts from the timing belt idler thread and install the new idler. Use a 10mm socket to tighten these bolts down. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the new timing belt idler

Before you can reinstall the cam sprockets, you’ll need to replace the camshaft seals. Use a hook pick to get on the inside of the seals and pull them out. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the new timing belt tensioner

Place the new camshaft seal onto the installation tool. Then, press the seal and tool around the camshaft. Use a dead-blow mallet to drive the seal in or insert and thread in the camshaft sprocket bolt to press in the seal. Use a T55 socket to drive in the sprocket bolts. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the new camshaft seal onto the installation tool

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the new camshaft seals

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the new camshaft seals

Next, reinstall the exhaust camshaft sprocket to the camshaft. Line up the timing marks you made on the sprocket to the ones on the valve cover. Then thread the bolt in and tighten it down with a T55 socket—torque the bolt to 120Nm.

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the camshaft sprocket bolts

Reinstall the engine mount bracket before installing the other camshaft sprocket. Install the long 13mm bolt on the lower side hole and install the long 10mm bolt above it. Then install the 13mm bolts at the front of the bracket. Tighten all of the bolts down once they’ve all been threaded in. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the engine mount bracket

Then install the intake-side camshaft sprocket using the same method used for the exhaust-side. If the cam sprockets’ timing marks are all lined up, go ahead and install the new timing belt. 

Route the belt around everything and then tighten down the tensioner almost all of the way. Then, use a 6mm Allen wrench to pre-tension the tensioner. Insert the wrench into the hole next to the mounting bolt and rotate it to the right. A bump behind the roller moves in correspondence with how much tension you put on the tensioner. Once that bump is in the middle of the tensioner locking tab, tighten the mounting bolt down for good using a 12mm socket. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement setting the correct tension on the tensioner

Now check the timing to make sure everything is still aligned. Use a 12mm wrench to remove the cam locks from the backs of the camshafts and a 6mm Allen wrench to remove the lock for the cam locks. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement removing the cam locks

Thread on the 30mm nut to the crankshaft and use a 30mm socket to rotate the engine over once. If any of the marks are out of position, remove the tension from the tensioner, and start again. If everything lines up, install the cam sprocket bolt caps with a T55 bit socket. Torque the plugs to 35Nm. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement torquing the cam sprocket plugs

Next, reinstall the cam position sensor wheels onto the back of the camshafts. Position the wheels on the backs of the camshafts and then thread in their bolts. Use a T30 bit socket to torque the bolts to 20Nm.

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the cam position sensor wheels on the backs of the camshafts

Place the new rear cam seals into the back of the cylinder head and tap them in with a dead-blow mallet.

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the rear cam seals

 

Step 8: Button up the engine bay

Reposition the black bracket that bolts to the back of the cylinder head. Thread in the top 13mm bolt before threading in the bottom 16mm bolt. Then, reattach any electrical connections for this bracket that you may have separated. Lastly, reconnect the line that attaches to the bottom of the bracket. Use an 8m socket to tighten down that line.

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement tightening down the black bracket

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement reconnecting the electrical connection on the bracket]

Next, reattach the ignition coil harness to the cylinder head. Use an 8mm socket to tighten down the two bolts securing the bracket. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement reattaching the ignition coil harness to the cylinder head

Go along the ignition coil harness and plug every connection back in. Start with the cam position sensors and work your way towards the front of the engine. Use an 8mm socket to tighten down the bolts for the ground wires on the harness. 

Head to the front of the engine and reattach the lower outer timing cover. Slide it down from the top of the engine and then head into the wheel well to get it into position. Use a T30 bit socket to fasten the single bolt that secures it to the engine. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the lower outer timing cover

Next, slot the upper outer timing cover into the lower one. A tab on each bottom corner will fit into the lower cover. Then fit the top of the timing cover over the belt and onto the cylinder head. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the upper timing cover pieces

Use a T30 bit socket to tighten the two bolts that secure the top cover to the cylinder head. After that, refit the upper engine mount. Get the mount situated and then thread in the two mount-to-engine bolts. Place the support brace over the engine mount and then thread in the two mount-to-chassis bolts. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the engine mount

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the engine mount brace

Finally, reconnect the feed line to the expansion tank and set the expansion tank back into the side of the engine bay. Clip all of the coolant lines back into place, too. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement refitting the coolant expansion tank

 

Step 9: Button up the wheel well

Remove the 30mm nut from the crankshaft and install the crankshaft pulley. Thread the big nut back on and then install the four 10mm bolts around it. Use an impact wrench to tighten the center nut. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement refitting the crankshaft pulley

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement refitting the A/C belt

Next, use a T50 bit socket to move the A/C belt tensioner aside so you can install the A/C belt. Ensure that all of the ribs on the belt are seated on the two pulleys.

The fender liner can now be refitted to the wheel well. Position the liner in the wheel well with the top of it tucked behind the fender flare. Then, position the inside on the two studs on both sides of the strut. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement refitting the fender liner

First, install the nuts onto the studs. Use a T25 bit socket or wrench to install the eight fasteners for the fender liner’s edge. Use a 10mm socket to tighten down the nuts. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement refitting the fender liner

Next, fit the lower radiator underbody panel into the bumper. Clip the back of the panel into the lower radiator support and fasten the front of the panel to the bumper with a T25 bit socket. 

After that, refit the plastic splash shield to the bottom of the car. Slide the back of the shield into the chassis’ tabs and then secure it with its six T25 fasteners. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the splash shield

 

Step 10: Refit the intake

Before refitting the intake, reinstall the ignition coil cover to the valve cover. Slide it into the upper timing cover and then secure it to the valve cover with a T30 bit socket or wrench. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement reinstalling the ignition coil cover

Next, fit the mass airflow housing into the airbox and use a T25 bit socket or wrench to secure it down. Plug the wiring harness into the mass airflow sensor once you tighten down the housing. Then, refit the intake tube. Use a 10mm socket to tighten the mounting bolts, and use a 7mm socket to tighten the intake hose clamps. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the intake tube

Finally, install the vacuum lines around the intake tube. 

DIY Volvo P1 Water Pump Replacement installing the vacuum lines

 

Step 11: Refill the coolant system

Open the coolant reservoir and fill it with coolant. Then start the vehicle to allow the coolant to cycle through and push out any air. Add more coolant to keep it at the full line as the coolant level recedes in the expansion tank.

Let the vehicle run for ten to fifteen minutes to ensure that the thermostat has opened and coolant is getting through the entire engine. Once bubbles appear in the expansion tank, your coolant system has bled itself, and you can shut the car off. Refit the expansion tank cap afterward.

Fifteen minutes in and out, right? Pat yourself on the back and revel in the sounds of a functioning engine if you’ve made it to the end. Enjoy the next 100,000 miles of peace of mind knowing your water pump is fresh and healthy. If you’re interested in more DIYs for your Volvo, you can visit volvo.fcpeuro.com and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Written by :
Christian Schaefer

Car and motorsports-obsessed writer/editor for FCP Euro's DIY Blog. Constantly dreaming of competing behind the wheel or searching for another project. Owner of a turbo Subaru Forester and a ratty Porsche 914, neither of which are running.


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